BigGameHoundsmen.com

I am a horse shoer by trade so I work on all kinds of different breeds of horses. I have clients that drive with drafts, endurance riders that run arabians, trail riders that ride gaited horses and then the always popular cow horses, the quarter horse. What is your favorite breed?

I can't decide mine. I love my quarter horse when I am cowboying but nothing beats my tennessee walking horse on the trail! His gait is like a cadalac

FLOP EARS!

Mules, quarter or preferably thoroughbred.

Half Draft

I can't leave the mules alone (I've got a Quarter built one and a Missouri Fox Trotter built one) - And I won't claim its because they're better (I don't ever work them hard enough that I NEED them over a conditioned horse) - I guess its more an appreciation of what America put them through in the building of this country - If there was a nasty mean hard job to get done, the mule got it - road-building / mines / farms / you name it.

prefer quarter horse but have had a couple good appies and tennessee walkers. for a long ride its hard to beat the walkers. aint never had any mules but from what ive been told im missing out, on what i dont know but might have to find out someday.

I prefer the long ears like hounds. The best cross Ive had in a half draft belguin. Kids could ride him after he only had bout 30 saddles. I never had to shoe him and I ride him all day in the rocks ( 300lbs+ with me and my saddle). He stands bout 16H weighs bout 1200-1300. Never quit on me. Gets a little lazy but nothing a spur cant fix. Girl friend has claimed him so I will have to get another.

Got a thorobred cross also. stands bout 16.2 and has tons or gas but a little groofy at times. Took him until about 7 to calm down but he is a great mule

Quarter/Welsh Cob cross. 15HH, stout, calm, gentle, built like a brick sh*t house with a puppydog disposition and no bottom. He packed out a whole elk in one trip last year.

I have never owned a long eared but I do have clients that deer hunt off of them up in the Trinity Alps. There aren't any roads up there so you have to hike it or pack in. They are one of the few people I know that are successful deer hunters in the B zone area in Northern California. I have never hunted hounds off of my horses but I can see where that could be fun. What do you do when your dogs tree in a deep hole. Do you tie up your mules and hike in?

If it gets too nasty I lead. I can just about lead anywhere I can walk except bluffs. So when that happens I tie up and start walking. Nice to have a ride waitng when you get back!!

I have this idea of a good Shetland pony that can carry 300 pounds and go all day in the rocks but that is not so big I can't load it in the other side of my big dog box.

Now that might just be the ideal. LOL! I don't know of anybody that has got anything like that except old Big N Blue but he won't part with them Mini long ears moto scooters he has. He has the same idea as me they may not be very fast but they are sure easy to get on and off. LOL!


Gaited horses are nice for pleasure riding and bird hunting but they are no good for bare ground lion hunting. They travel too fast even at a walk and if you make them flat foot and crawl the stumble all over the mountain. If you are hunting your dogs on the bare ground and traveling faster than 3 MPH unless you have ideal conditions you will ride them right over a lot of strikes.

Learned that bit of wisdom as it came down the pike from George Goswick, and he was a pretty fair lion hunter they say.


No sense riding a horse or mule you got to get off and lead all the time to go slow enough to cover the country for tracks. Speed is nice though when the lion is caught and you are hot footing it back to the truck proud as a peacock and ready for a sandwhich and a cold brewski. LOL!

My little MOPED Judy gets tired, I can put her in my pocket. LOL

You don't mind riding her , you just don't want anyone to see you on her! LOL

I ride everyday and very few horses could keep up the day to day abuse we put our rides though. I do have a Jody Hancock bred horse that does very good but I still have to spell her off. I prefer a good Mule

I can't believe larry hasn't came on here and put down Plotts as an answer.